Arch-prop.



10,815,891 Y PATBNTED MAR.2o,196.

- J. W ARROWSMITH. f

.ARGE PROP, APPLIUATION FILED MAILZZ, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I f' 1i, fi li /l Il l /lf l 5 l l l u l 1 l I! i l l III.. I. l I i. i "e" /3 Il; i I l Il I N "w- @WWW- u A, No. Glaser.l y

emes @TENT-'OFFICE' 'JAMES w. ARiiowsMirH.-' OF MORRISTOWN.. NEW JERSEY-- `Amin-Berici.` 'I i Y l l Specifcalten of Letters iatent; Appiicaign nea Merch 22, 1905. serial No. 251,504.

. Patented March 20, 1906.

iTofaZZ 1.0710711. it lmay concern:

. Beit known that lI, J AMES W. AnRowsMrrH,

a citizen of' the United -States, residing at j and useful Improvements in Arch-Props, of-

which the following is a description, reference Morristown, in the county of Morris, State of 'New-Jersey, have invented certain new l being had to the accompanyingidrawings, and

ito the figures of reference mar ed thereon. My invention relates to instep-supportsor A'arch-props designed to be Worn'inside of boots or shoes for supporting the arch of the instep to :prevent its breaking down or, if

weakened, to sustain the arts in normal pofsition, and thus permit t em to regain their normal condition," and my invention has for its object to provide a support or archrop which will lproperly support the arch' o the instep and at the same time' will beso far yielding asto avoid discomfort to the wearer. With this obj ectin view myinvention'com- .prises the use with a main plate of ordinary construction, which may or may not be provided with means for increasing its rigidity, g

of an auxiliary plate of resilient material of less'thickness than the main plate secured onI the upper face ofthe main plate and cushions L inter osed between the main plate and the -auxi iary plate; and the invention consists in the construction and combinationof elements hereinafter described, and particularly' pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa side view of the complete devicewith one of the fastening devices which hold the parts together .re-

moved. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional.

' view of the complete device. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view ofthe complete device.v

' Fig. 4 is a bottom view ofthe complete device. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of the device, the heelpart of the covering being shown rolled forward to expose the Fig'. 6 is a longitudinal secend view looking from the right of Fig. 5 with the covering shown in lace, and Fig. 8 is a side view looking from t cleft of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings,` 1 is the main plate of the instep-support or arch-prop. 5.

This main plate is arche lengthwise to conformto the under surface of the normal foot and has one side curved upward to fit the in- I 'side curve of the normal instep, the upwardlycurved. side beingmade slig ly yielding by slits 2, dividing lit into tongues 3. The

and the upturned edgeand gradually lessenetoward the opposite edge. The edge of the main. plate o posite to thedipwardly-curved edge is pre erablyA curved downward, as-

shown at 4, thisy curve being greatest about midway of the lengthofthe plate and gradually disappearing toward the heel end 5 and the front' end 6 of the main plate, these ends being substantially 'flat'. The main plate is preferably providedl on its under side with a j plate 7,. havingl its ends secured to the main plate, ashereinafter described, and having its edge on theside corresponding tothe upturned'edgeof -the main plate curved up- 'ward, as shown' at 8, to fit the concave of the lengthwise arch ofthe main plate; The bracelate 7 is broadest about lmidway of its ength, so-as to b ear at a point 9 opposite the upturned edge 8 against the under's'urface of the main plate. A strip 10 of relatively stili metal is preferably interposed between the brace-plate and the under side of the main plate to further brace it. i

material of lessthickness than the main plate n e 8o 11 is an auxiliary plate made of resilient and arranged to be secured upon its upper. l

face.A j This auxiliary plate has its edge 12 upturned to correspond with-the upturned edge of. the main plate, and this upturned edge is divided by slits 13 into'tongues 14. The auxiliary plate is cut away on the side opposite its upturned edge on a line at an angle to the longitudinal line, and at its rear or heel end '15 the plate is of greater breadth than the heel end of the main plate and also extends rearward beyond the heel end ofthe main plate.

Between soft rubber, is interposed, and be Ween the heel ortion of the main plate a cushion, referab yconsisting of ablock or iece 17 o soft rubber, is interposed, thev cushlon being pref-` the tengues' 14 the auxiliary' plate 11 and the tongues 3 of the main plate a1 cushion, preferably consisting of a strip 16 `of.

`heel portion 15 of the auxiliary plate and the Y Ioo' 11 thedevicels preferably provided with a v covering 18 of non-metallic' material, preferably sole-leather, molded to fit the upper sur- This face of thedevice and secured thereto. covering is of such shape and size as to extend beyond the lines ofthe plates 1 and 1l in front and rear and on both Sides; This covering is preferablybeveled ofl at its front end, as shown at 19, and also at its side next the tongues 14.

covering in place.

This coveringis preferably securedto the .flevice at twopoints only,- so as to leave its sides and ends free, rivets 21, arranged about on the line at which the upturned edge of the main plate joins the body of. the main plate, being the preferred means for securing the The rivets 21. also serve to secure the auxiliary plate 11 and the braceplate' 7 to the main plate 1.' One or both of the holes in the main plate, through. which therivets pass; are preferably elongated suflicientl to permit the main plate to move slight y with referenceto the brace-plate and `auxiliary plate, so that the main plate may be shaped as ,may be necessary to adapt it Ato the foot of the wearer.

. The cushion-stri 16. is held in position by securin the auxiliary plate in p ace, being pinche between the auxiliarypnte and the l. main plate.

' It willl be apparent that in the construction as above described'the main plate l, with the brace-p`late 7 and the metal strip 10, forms a substantially rigid base, the only yielding permitted beiiw the sli htyielding of the tongues 43. At the same time by reason of the auxiliary plate 11 and the cushions interposed between this auxiliary plate and the main 1 plate the foot of the wearer is yieldingly supported'at the points where the most pressure comes-thatis, on the heel and on the side of the instep-and the discomfort of a rigid support is thus avoided. At the same time. any

, undue yielding is checked by the main plate.

In Figs. 5to 8, inclusive, I have shown a construction in which the heel only is cushioned. In this construction the auxiliary plate 11 is cut away, so that it o-verlies only the heel portion ot the main plate, and the covering 18 is in direct contact with the tongues 3. f

It will of course be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the particular materials described or to the particular form of the several parts shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Fatent, is* A 1. In an arch-prop or instep-support the combination of a main plate curved to [it the arch of'the instep having one side upturned to fit the side curve of the instep and having a heel portion, an auxiliary plate secured to the upper face of the main plate and having a heel portion and a cushion of resilient inaterial between the heel portion of the auxiliary plate and the heel portion of the main plate,

substantially as describe -2. In an arch-prop or instep-su portthe combination of almai'n plate curve to i'it the to fit the side arch ofA the instep having one side upturned t0 fit the side curve of the instep and having a lieel portion, an auxiliary plate secured at its forward end to the upper face of the main plate and having a heel portion and a cushion of resilient material between the heel portion of the auxiliary plate and the heel port-ion of the main plate substantially as described.

3.In an arch-prop or instepsupport the combination'of a main plate curved t0 fit the arch of the instep having one side upturned curve of the instep and having a heel portion, an auxiliary `late of resilient metal secured to the upper ffice of the main plate and having a heel portion, and a cushion of resilient material ,between the heel por tion of theauxiliary plate and the heel portion ofthe main plate, substantially as described.

- '4., In an arch-prop or instep-support the combination of a main plate curved to fit the arch of the instep having one side upturned to fit the side curve of the instep-and having a heel portion', an auxiliary plate secured to the upper face of the main plate and having a heel portion and a cushion of resilient. material secured to the under side of the heel portionof the auxiliary plate and resting on but not secured to the heel portion of-tlie main plate, substantially as described. i

In an arch-prop or' instep-support the combination of a main plate curved to fit the arch of the instep having one side upturned to iit` the side curve of the instep and having a heel portion, an auxiliary plate'secured to the upper face of the main plate and having a heel portion, a cushion of resilient material between the heel portion of the auxiliary plate and the heel portion of ,the main plate and a covering of non-metallic material curved. to it the upper face of the main plate andoverlying the auxiliary' plate and main plate substantially as described.

6. In,an arch-prop' or instep-support the combination ofa mam plate curved to it the arch of the instep having one side u turned to fit the side curve of the instep an having a heelportion, an auxiliary plate above the main plate and having a licei portion extending over the heel portion of the main plate, a

cushion of resilient material between the heel portion of the auxiliary plate and thi- 'heel portion of the main plate, a covering o 1onmetallic material curved to t the u per face of the main plate andl overlying tie main plate and auxiliary Jlate, and a fastenin device passing througli the covering, auxi iary plate and main plate and securing them together substantially as described.

7. In an arch-prop or instepsu port, the combination of a main plate curved) to fit the arch of the inste and having one side upturned to t the side of the instep, of an auxiliary plate also curved to fit they arch of the instep and secured fto' the upper face of the IOO IIC

i Inain plate; and a cushion interposed between tivelyy yielding auxiliaryplate also s apedto it the jar'ch of the instep secured on the upper face of the main plate and one or more cushions'between ortions ofthe auxiliary plate and the mainp ate,`subst antially as descrlbed. l 9. yIn an arch-prop or instep-support'the.

.combinationoa relatively rigid ,-main` plates shaped to t the curve of the inste a'relatively yielding auxiliary plate Valso s aped to viit the arch ofthe instep secured on the upper.

face of the ma'inplate and one or more oushions between portions of the auxiliary plate and the main late anda covering of non-rne -tallie materia overlying the auxiliary plate, .substantially as described.

1,0".l Inan arch-prop or instepsu port the combination of a main plate sha e to fit the f aifoh of the instep and provide on its side with resilient tongues, an auxiliary late of resilient material also shaped to fit t 'e arch ofthe instep and provided on its side with v*resilient tongues, and a cushion between the resilient tongues ofthe auxiliary'plate and .main platesubsta ntially as described.

In'testimony whereof I 'ax rny signature in presence otWo-Witnesses. f

Witnesses: I JOHN M. Mums,`

.'EDW, M. CARROLL.

'JAMES W ARRQWSMITH- 

